If you caught {this photo} of mine on Instagram last week, you’re a witness that for at least a short period of time my kitchen island was 100% clean and clear of paper clutter – a rarity at our house! While keeping my island completely clutter-free every day is pretty much an impossibility, I decided that a kitchen bulletin board was a must-have for at least keeping the clutter in check. So I revamped an old bulletin board of mine to create this fabric-covered framed bulletin board with a cute little stash-all pocket:
It’s hanging on a small wall that’s right by the door to our garage so it’s in a great spot to grab things from on my way out the door:
Are you long-time readers wondering what happened to the bulletin board that used to be there? Because yep, I made this burlap-covered bulletin board (tutorial {here}) for that exact spot about a year ago:
Believe it or not, I shipped that baby to NYC where I used it in a video tutorial about how to create this project (you can check out the video {here} – by the way, is there anything more uncomfortable than watching yourself on video? I think not…) and it got lost after the video shoot and never made its way back home to me 🙁 Since then, we sold our old house in Cincinnati (which we were renting) and I brought back the old bulletin board I had in that kitchen so I could reuse it in our current house. Way too complicated, I know.
Let’s move on to something more simple – the how-to steps for making this stylish cork board. To start the project off, you’ll need an open back frame (I got mine at Hobby Lobby) and a cork board cut just a little bit smaller than the size of your frame opening. The easiest way to cut a cork board is with a table saw but you can also use a utility knife like I did (don’t worry if your cork board edges are jagged – they won’t show).
Cut your fabric so that it’s several inches wider and longer than your cork board on each end, lightly spray your cork board with spray adhesive (do this in a well-ventilated area), center your fabric over your cork board, and smooth it out over the entire surface so that it adheres well. Next, flip your cork board over to the back, pull the fabric tight, and use a staple gun to staple it all the way around:
Beware that if you choose a pinstriped fabric like I did, it’s a little challenging to get all of the stripes perfectly straight (you can see in my final product where they go a little wonky at the left top corner) – non-linear patterns are easiest.
To create the pocket, simply cut another piece of fabric (I used the same fabric going in a different direction but you could use a totally different coordinating fabric too) several inches wider than the width of your cork board and a few inches taller than you want your pocket. I was lucky because the selvage of my fabric provided a nice little boarder that I used at the top of the pocket – if your selvage isn’t attractive, just sew under the top 1/2″ to create a nice edge (or iron it down with Stitch Witchery). Position this second piece of fabric where you want it at the bottom edge of the cork board,
flip it over and staple the fabric tightly at the ends and bottom. Then simply pop your fabric-covered cork board into the frame. To secure it, I actually just duct taped the cork board to the frame at the back but you could also glue gun it in or screw a few corner brackets on the back of the frame. Finally, add hanging hooks to the back of it (I used two D-ring hooks) and throw it up on the wall – done!
I’m sure my cork board won’t look this neat and uncluttered for long – right now it’s holding some Pottery Barn fabrics that I’m eyeing for a sectional, a sample of my living room drapery fabric that I need to shop for a few spring pillows, and a bunch of less glamorous stuff like coupons and outgoing mail. Since I don’t like to put holes through some of these things, instead of using pushpins I hot glued thumbtacks to the back of a few small clothespins so I can clip them on instead:
Want to make a fabric-covered cork board of your own? Here’s a shopping list of the supplies you’ll need to get the job done (includes affiliate links – see my full disclosure statement {here}):
An open backed frame (mine is a 22″ x 28″ barnwood frame from Hobby Lobby) – {this online frame} looks very similar if you don’t have a Hobby Lobby near you
Unframed cork board – you can get them at most craft stores like Hobby Lobby and JoAnn Fabrics
Fabric – enough to cover your board and create the pocket
Spray adhesive – {this one} is my favorite
Glue gun and staple gun (I recently got {this heavy duty staple gun} and it’s so much better than the cheapie that I’ve been using for years)
Picture hangers and duct tape or brackets to secure the cork board to the frame
Pushpins, thumbtacks, and clothespins
Now that I’ve tackled some of our kitchen island paper clutter, I’ve motivated to get the rest of my kitchen better organized too (the scene behind our cupboard doors is pretty scary). Do you guys have any favorite tips or products to get the job done?
I LOVE the 3 wooden boxes that you have hanging on the wall!! Would you mind sharing where you got them?
Love the bulletin board idea! We have a counter that’s become a drop zone. I usually have a basket there to collect things but then it gets full, things get lost, etc. might try this idea.
Thanks,
Shirley
Sure! I got them online at farmhousewares.com – they are called Vintage Nesting Herb Crates. I love them!
I am thinking that your fabulous bulletin board was “appropriated” by a fan in New York. 🙂 I like the rustic look of your new board…keep on blogging!
Ha! I like that thought better than the real possibility that it got mixed in with the trash and is sitting in an NYC dump 🙂
That fabric and frame are so perfect for your house, love them together! And the pocket is a great idea!
Thanks Lisa!
Love this…PINNED..on my TO DO LIST
Thanks Christine 🙂
Looks great! Love the pocket and your cute video!
Ha! I’ve never watched that video all the way through – can’t take watching myself 🙂
Love the idea. I was thinking of buying one of those white board as I use to have at my office kitchen. But I was so inspired by your post that I will ask hubby to build one of this. Thank you!
Sounds like you have a handy hubby! Hope you love it!
I love the pocket, and your stripes turned out wonderfully straight! Thank you for sharing, and I hop you have a nice weekend. 🙂
Thank you Cara – they’re not exactly straight but they are straight enough, right?! 🙂
Where did you buy the cork board from? I cant find it.
Hi Lisa – I got mine from Hobby Lobby – you can see a picture of the exact ones I bought in this post: http://www.drivenbydecor.com/2012/04/diy-restoration-hardware-bulletin-board.html
What a fun project! I just love your project especially the idea of using pockets in wall hanging board,
I have a prepared a round up of 15 DIY Bulletin boards and feature your project in my blog post!
Can you share where you got the clothespins? I’m looking for wider small ones, but can only find skinny ones.
Dede, it’s been a while since I did this project but I’m pretty sure that I found them either at Michael’s or Jo-Ann Fabrics!